Advertising signboard construction



April 28, 19452. D v, WALKER i 2,281,343

ADVERTISING SIGNBOARD CONSTRUCTION I Filed Jan. 16. 1941 Il v5 /z f ml jiii. v

A'rroRE'Y Patented Apr. 28, i942 UNTE STATES PATENT @ENCE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to an advertising signboard construction, and moreparticularly to an outdoor type generally referred to as a billboard.

Signboards have been utilized by painting thereon or pasting theretoadvertising illustrations and slogans. Most signboards are more or lessunsightly, so much so that in many communities legislation has beenenacted prohibiting their use.

One object of my invention is to provide an advertising signboard ofpleasing conguration and having aesthetic appeal.

Another object of my invention is to provide a signboard for advertisingarticles of merchandise, including clothes, in a novel, picturesque, andpleasing manner.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel signboard foradvertising articles of merchandise in which use is made of enlargedphotographic representations of the articles to be advertised.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a signboard inwhich the representations of the articles of merchandise beingadvertised are spaced from a background and so lighted that a thirddimensional effect is achieved.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the followingdescription.

In the accompanying drawing which forms part of the instant specicationand is to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like referencenumerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a signboard showing one embodiment of myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the signboard shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an end View with parts in section of the signbcard shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the gure mounting.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on a large scale, taken on theline 5 5, Fig. 1.

In general my invention contemplates an outdoor advertising signboardconstruction in which a faithful reproduction of the article ofmerchandise being advertised is made and mounted, and so lighted toachieve relief in an appropriate setting.

My invention is particularly adapted to advertising clothes, shown wornon models, and for purposes of illustration but not by way oflimitation, I will describe my invention with respect to a signboard foradvertising clothes.

Let us assume that it is desired to advertise an evening gown.

The evening sown is worn by a professional model and an appropriatephotograph of the model wearing the gown is made.

The negative of the model is enlarged to any desirable size, usuallylarger than life size. The enlarged photograph is represented in Fig. 5by the reference numeral I. It is mounted on a heavy board 2 and istinted in natural colors to produce a reproduction of the gown, andbestowing to the model a life-like effect. The gure is then cut out. Astop I is secured to the mounting board 2, by means of screws 8.

Referring to Fig. 5, bolts 4 clamp mounting blocks 5 and spacer member 6to the stop 1. The screws 9 secure the mounting blocks 5 to the member 3of the signboard proper. The member 3 is the background panel againstwhich the photographic enlargement is displayed and from which it isspaced. The background member 3 is of substantial thickness so that itssurface I0, upon which the background is painted, will be spaced fromthe surface II of the signboard panel I2.

The background member 3 may be mounted in the panel I2 in any suitablemanner. The panel I2 of the signboard is supported upon a base memberI3. The front portion of the base member is provided with a shadow boardI4, behind which incandescent, neon, or fluorescent lighting means i5 ispositioned.

After the gure is mounted on the board, it is sealed with a transparent,weather-proof, coating I 6. This coating may be transparentnitrocellulose lacquer, or any other suitable transparent `coatingmaterial, such as varnish or the like. The coating material, it will benoted, is applied on the back as well as the front to keep the figurefrom warping.

If beach clothes, for example, are being advertised, an appropriatebeach scene will be painted upon the background panel I, and a gurewearing a bathing suit is mounted in spaced relation from thebackground. The stop 'I is so mounted that it cannot be seen from thefront of the signboard. Appropriate lettering, preferably of neon tubingIl, is mounted on the surface II of the main panel I2.

The arrangement is such that when assembled, the photographicenlargement I, spaced from the surface I0, will throw a shadow I8 uponthe scenic background, giving the effect of relief to the figure. Thethickness of the panel 3 is such that the footlight I5 will throw ashadow I9 of the panel 3 upon the surface Il of the signboard proper.

The eiect achieved is to provide an outdoor display in which themerchandise is accurately shown to the public in a manner having a thirddimensional effect. All the advantages attendant upon displaying anarticle in relief, and the exhibiting of clothes being worn by models,are achieved by my construction.

It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of myclaims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made indetails Within the scope of my claims Without departing from the spiritof my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention isnot to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An advertising signboard construction including in combination a basemember, a vertical background member secured thereto forming a primaryarea, self-illuminated advertising indicia mounted on said primary area,a second vertical member of different geometrical shape than said firstvertical member, said 'second' vertical member being mounted upon saidrst vertical member and having a second background area disposed in aplane spaced from the plane of said rst area, a third vertical memberhaving the form of a graphic representation oi merchandise to beadvertised, means for mounting said third vertical member in spacedrelation with said second background area, and means for footlightingand silhouetting said graphic representation of merchandise against thesecond background area and simultaneously casting diiued light over theprimary background area.

2. An advertising signboard construction including in combination a basemember, vertical primary and secondary background areas mounted inconjunction with the base member, self-illuminating indicia on theprimary background area, a third vertical member having the form of agraphic representation of merchandise to be advertised mounted in frontof and in spaced relation With said secondary background area, lightmeans arranged in front of said background areas to simultaneouslyconcentrate light on the third member casting the shadow of said thirdmember upon the secondary background area and causing it to besilhouetted in relief, and causing a diiused light to be projected overthe primary background area.

DAVID V. WALKER.

